Submarine signaling.



J. B. MILLE'L SUBMARINE SIGNALING.

v- APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1909.` 938,720. Patented sept. '7, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE'.'

JoSIAII E. MILLET, E BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASS'IGMOR To MILLET SIGNALooM- PANY, 0E BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A conroEATIoN 0E MAINE.

SUBMARINE' SIGNALING.

Speciation of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 18, 1969. Serial No. 496,761;

To 'all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that I, JosIAH B. MILLET, a

citizen of the :United States, and a resident of Boston, in the countyvof Suolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts,'have invented anImprovement in Submarine Signaling, of which the following description,

in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawings Jrepresenting like parts.

My invention relates to the. art of 'submarine Signaling, and aims toproduce a sigi naling apparatus capable of transmitting and detectingthose sounds or sound waves which are desirable or necessary for;` thesuccessful use of the signaling system, while `excluding Such sounds o1;sound waves as would produce a disturbing and confusing result. i. I

Prior to my invention submarine signalingv apparatus of the typecommonly used V have employed a microphonic device to am- 4-plify andtransmit the-sound waves constituting the signal, and as heretoforecommonly organized, such systems have been subject to comparativelyearly loss of eiliciency due to the packing of the microphonic materialor substance, which my i prese-nt invention, among other things, aims30- stitute a serious disturbing factor. -This diiculty my inventionaims to overcome in the manner that willbe more clearly understood fromthe following disclosure of 'a selected-embodiment of my invention. S0also other features and phases of'my invention'will be .betterunderstoodv from the following disclosure of one embodiment of myinvention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents diagrammatically theselected em-4 bodiment of rmy invention referredjto; Fig.

2, in'enlarged section, showsthe microphonlc' transmitting apparatusshown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional detail on the dottedline 3-3, Fig. 2, `looking downward;

and Figs. 4t -and 5, diagrammatic views-to be referred to.

Referring to the. drawin and first to Fig. 1, I have typified at theloleft Aany usual or suitable submarine bell or sound producing signalapparatus S, and at the right of said figure is indicated in partialtransverse section the hu-ll 'of` a vesselV, upon which the 4vsignalsare to be received and availed of.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 2, which is a longitudinal,approximately horizontal, sectional view looking downward, the platingor skin of the ship is still indicated by the reference letter- V. Atthe upper portion of said figure is a longitudinal brace or yoke Vsupported in any Suitable man ner against or upon the ships skin orplating and conveniently secured to and between the ships ribs. Thisyoke is shownprovided with an aperture V2. Interposed between the yokeV" and the ships skin V is a cup shaped or flaring casing or holder 1 ofsuitable or desired shape and material, con-` veniently of metal. At itsopen end, which is presented to the ships side, said casing is adaptedto receive yieldable means, such as rubber packing 2 for the purpose ofacoustically insulating the casing from the ships plating V and also forfacilitating adjustment of the casing toward the said plating. To pressthe casing firmly against the packing any suitablemeans may be employed,conveniently three set screws or bolts 4 screwed into and through theyoke V and acting against the inner end of -the casing. By means ofthese screws the casing may be evenly and firmly pressed toward theships plate and adjusted to conform to 'any inequality of suoli plate,the screws being held against loosening by lock lnuts 5 or othersuitable means. 4 to act Adirect-ly upon the casing itself, I prefer toemploy a separate contact ring G sup ported by but insulated from thecasing proper, by a rubber ring or washer 7, t-he idea being to insurenot nly proper supporting contact but to prevent the transmission to orthrough the casing itself of sound vibrations that might constitute adisturbing factor in the use ofthe System.

Within the holder 1, I have arranged the electromechanical microphonicdevice, the same comprising, as herein shown, a usual or Vsuitablegranular microphonic button 8,.

As shown, this button comprises thel contact electrodes 9 and 10,between which is arf ranged the granular contact material 11, as

Patented sepaf, 1909.

55 i phonic material 11, and ,thus induce a vvariis usual in microphonicdevices. This button` is suitably supported within a box 12,

lpreferably of metal, and preferably having thick walls, one of which,as 13, may bel removable and screwed into place to furnish access whendesired to the .inclosed microphonic button; This microphonic box 12 isprovided with a stem 1a which extends inward through the nclosed end ofthe casing 1. Said inclosed end of the casing 1 is provided With aprojection 1 which has extending therethrough an opening 12 in which isplaced an adjusting nut 15, by means of which said box may be pressedinto firm contact with the plate or skin of the ship or into contactwith any sound conducting nongaseous substance itself acousticallyconnected to the skin of the ship through an intervening non-gaseoussound conductor or conductors, whereby the box may receive soundvibration by Contact 'either directly or indirectly from the ships skin.Preferably I provide the microphonic box 12 with a contact point 17conveniently of conical shape and screwed into or otherwise secured tothe said box with-its pointed end resting .in contact with the shipsplate or skin as shown, and `this point may bepressed against the plateor skin with any desired pressure by means of the nuts 15, 16described'. The threaded box stem 14 may be provided with a longitudinalgroove 18 at the left of Fig.

,2 to receive an inwardly projected pin 19 on the closed end of thecasing to prevent relative rotation of the box and casing and thusfacilitate making and maintenance of ad- 'justment v The use' of a pointor other penetrative contact member is preferable since it permits thepenetration of rust or otherA film' or coatin onthe plating or on theother body with w ich'contactis Sought, thereby securingl a goodcontact.'y `The contact selcuredalso is a' localized tone of small de- Aliverysurface but presented in the most effi, .-fective position `tocause response to the sub-A marine sound waves nnpinging against thelships skin. The electrical conductors 19,

2O may be connected as'shown, 'one to the stem of the casing. and theother carried through an insulated conduit in the threaded stem 111' toand connected with the electrode 9, which is notv connected, withthebox, so that any vibration received by -contact through lthe wall of thebox will cause more or less compression of the granular microableresponse through' the electrodes 9 and 10 in theelectrical clrcuit whichincludes the conductors-19V and 20. These conductors asindicated'inf-Fig. 1, maybe connected with a battery"B-and receiver Rlocated at any In practice, the ship is pre rably equipped with aplurality of these microphonic transmitters arranged at and inacoustical connection with opposite sides of the ship relative to itslongitudinal median line and connected respectively with receivers whichwillpermit of a comparison of signaling sounds transmitted to andthrough the respective transmitters, being thus used in a manner wellunderstood by those conversant with the art.'

It. will be observed that the electrodes 9, 10, between which themicrophonic material is placed, stand in approximately verticalpositions and transversely of the ship; that is to say, they stand inplanes which are substantially parallel with the transverse plane orplanes of rolling motion of the ship, which are the planes ordinarily ofmaximum ships motion. The ship usually rolls to a greater degree than itpitches, and in any motion of the ship, however complex, therollingmotion averages to be the more pronounced.

Referring now to the diagrams, Figs. l and 5, itwill be. observed'thatin Fig. 4,

showing the ship in one angular position of roll indicatedfby the dottedline Q-Q, the level of the granular microphonic material is indicated bythe letters 1L-g' extending between the points ,frof the microphonic,ing really to turn'or roll the inclosure for the microphonic'materialunder and-about the same to enable the latter to take up its newrelative position between theelectrodes with the result that the entiremass while keeping 4 substantially the same relation with theelectrodesis maintained by the motion of the ship in a permanently loose "and freecondition substantially that in which it was originally introduced intothe apparatus.

1 Heretofore where aA diaphragmatic support for the microphone buttonhas been employed, it has been deemed necessary to ar.-

range the microphonic device flat against the ship or longitudinallylthereof, where its electrodes are transverse to the plane or planes ofmaximum ships motion. Under these circumstances the effect of therolling ofthe ship is to tip these side walls or electrodes back andforth laterally about their lower edges as pivots, with the result thatthe mass of miorophoniclv material between them is subjected to verylittle disturbing action, and quickly packs. This reduces the eiiciencyof thesyStem and, because not subjected tovany constant agitatingaction, one microphone at one side of the ship may pack to a greaterextent than'-the other, mimediatelyr-throvving the system outof balance-.ment of substantially the entire mass of granular' m'aterial bodilybetween its op posed electrodes and the action as heretofore' of-tippingthe mass first in one and then in the oppositedirection withoutenforcing any bodily movement thereof between and relative to itselectrodes. It will be seen that Where a non-diaphragmatic contactl wallis employed to. transmit the submarine vibrations to the microphone theposition ofthe microphone may be selected at will and, as

herein, the latter may be mounted in .a transverse planewithout in anyway diminishing its sensitiveness. This n ovel mounting of themicrophonic device with the microphonic material between walls which arearranged substantially in the plane or planes of 'maximum ships motionthus serves to prolong the period of highest etiiclency of the system sofar as such eiciency 1s dep pendent uponthe condition of themicro-4thatl the sounds whichoriginate ornare conphone and constitutes Ibelieve avery important improvement in the art.

' I do not herein claim the novel method for utilizing the rollingmotion of the ship to agitate the granules, as described, the claimsherein being confined to the apparatus. Claims for the method areincluded in another co-pending application.

In a submarine signaling apparatus, conditions are suchV as to make itessential that the sound transmitting means shall be responsive to-` andtransmit the most minute sound waves or sound vibrations which emanatefrom the signaling-*bell or other source of sound which it is desired todetect or locate, such for example as the sounds of the screws ofanother steamer; and to this end it is important that the microphonicapparatus be most delicately organized and adjusted. Unfortunately,however, t-hevery delicacy and organization of the microphonic apparatusso important to detect signaling or other sounds or sound waves, such asabove mentioned, also render the apparatus morge susceptible to thereceiving and transmission of other and disturbing vibrations or sounds,for example, such as originate within or exist in the ship itself or theair contained therein. I have discovered,

tained in the ships hold and which ordinarily constitutedisturbing-sounds in. a submarine signaling system areusuallytransmitted at some point through the air contained within theship, while those sounds which originate with the signaling bell orother source whichit is desired to detect by means of the submarinesignaling-system originate in and are transmitted only through the Wateror liquid..v Recognizing this distinction,.my presentfinventioncomagainst sound vibrations of air or gas so as to exclude such from themicrophonic action and arranging the microphonic device in contact withtheskin ofthe -ship or otherwise through a contact membercof. soundconducting material so that it will respond to sound waves or vibrationswhich exist in the skin of the ship and those only,.and which areproduced by vsound Wavesin t-he surrounding Water. "Preferably theinclosing walls of the box or casing 12 are of such mai piehendsprotecting the microphonic device l Referring to F ig. 2 of the drawing,it will g .be observed that the inclosing box for the microphone isthick walled and substan- ,Y

tially unresponsive to .external air. vibrations, but lthat through acontact connection, such as the' point17 said box responds to thevibrations of the ships skin which reliably transmit the-submarine orother .signal or sound which it is desired to detect.

It will be seen that the rubber packin 2 y not only acts as aninsulation, preventi g the entrance Within the casing 1 of soundspropagated through the air, and not only serves as a yielding wall. orabutment which, y

by application to the ships skin, permits obtaining the requisitecontact on the application of pressure to the holder, but also servesanother purpose in that it prevents the submarine sound waves `impingingagainst the ships skin from being'transmitted to the'holder, andtherebypreventsnthe tendency of the holder and the casing 13 to vibratein unisonpwith the ships skin and the counteraction of the vibrationsreceived through the contact member 17. vSubstantially all soundvibrations, therefore, reach-- ing the casing-are transmitted throughAthe contact member 17.

Having` described one embodiment -of iny invention and Without limitingmyself to `inconsequential details, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patentfis,- 1` l "walls oi? suitable material and thickness toexclude substantially all disturbing sounds propagated through gaseousmedia, said walls providing a sound-conducting portion in acousticcontact with the microphonic device to transmit Vto the latter soundvibrations received by contact With solid or liquid media. only, and areceiver electrically connected with said microphonic device.

Q. 4In a submarine signaling system, the combination with a submarinesound producer, -oli a ships" hull, an electro-microphonic sounddetection and transmission device, inclosed by Walls of suitable mate1ial and thickness to exclude substantially all disturbing soundspropagated through gaseous media, said device having a` sound-conductingportion in acoustical contact 'With the -microphone and also with theships hull, or a part acoustically connected thereto,l

thereby to transmit sound vibrations from the ships hull to themicrophone, and a receiver electrically connected With said microphonedevice. 1

3. In a submarine signaling system, the combination with a submarinesound producer of a ships hull, an electro-micro honic sound detectionand transmission device, said device being inclosed by Walls of suitablematerial and thickness to protect it against access of sound vibrationsother than those received through a conducting body, said inclosureindicating a solid'non-diasound conducting body in to contact With theships skin or a..

acoustically connected thereto, and ajreceiifer' electrically connectedwith 4said microphone.

4. In a submarine signalingl apparatus an electro-microphonic device, agaseous sound- Wave-excluding casing for the same With which said4device is in acoustical contact and an exterior point Contact for saidcasing.-

5. In a submarine signaling apparatus the combination with the shipshull, an electromicrophonic device, a contact Wall in acoustical..contact With said device, and means for adjustably applying the saidWall by contact to the ships skin or other solid body acousticallyconnected thereto.

G. In a submarine signaling apparatus the combination with a ships hull,of a microphone, a sound conduct-ing body acoustically connectedthereto, said microphone being protected against the access ofsoundvibrations other than those received through said body, andr meansfor pressing the body against the ships skin or. a part acousticallyconnected thereto.

7. In a submarine signaling apparatus the combination With a ships hull,a microphone device having a Contact Wall, a holder, a yieldable member,means to press the holder aguil-'st the ships skin or a partacoustically connected thereto through the intervening yieldable memberto secure contact by the contact wall.

S. In a submarine signaling apparatus the "combination Witha submarinesound producer of a microphonic detection and transmission device, ametallic casing inclosing said device, said casing having its Walls ofsuilicient thickness inproportion to its externzil dimensions to excludesubstantially all disturbing sounds propagated through gaseous media,and a receiver electrically connected tothe microphone.

1G. In a submarine signaling system the combination with .al submarinesound detector, of a microphonic detection and transmission deviceinclosed bywalls of suiicient thickness in proportion to their exposedsuperficial dimensions to exclude substantially all disturbing soundspropagated through gaseous med-ia, said Walls providing asound'lconducting portion in acoustical contact with .the microphonicdevice, and having an eXteriorly exposed part adapted to Contact Withthe body in Which the detection of sound vibrations is sought, and areceiver electrically connected With said microphonic device. '111-In-aawsubmarine signaling system the v'combination Withr-alships hull,of an instrumentv having an -el,ectro-microphonic sound detection andtransmission device inclosed by Walls of suitable material and thicknessto exclude substantially all disturbing soundsl propagated throughgaseous media said Walls providing a sound conducting portion inacoustic contact With the microphonic device to transmit to the lattersound vibrations received by-'contact with solid or liquid media only, asupport for said instrument to maintain the conducting portion inacoustical contact Withthe ships hull, .and means for acousticallyinsulating the instrument from the support.

12. In a submarine signaling system the combination with a ships hull,of an instrument having an electro-microphonic sound detection andtransmission device inclosed by Walls of suitable material and thicknessto exclude substantially all disturbing sounds propagated through'gaseous media said Walls providing a sound conducting portion inacoustic contact with the microphonic dethe combination With anelectro-microphonic sound detection and transmission device 8 11, thesame being inclosed bythe casing 12,'lraving Walls of suitable materialandthickness to exclude substantially all disturbing sounds propagatedthrough gaseous media and the exterior contact Amember 17 in acousticalcontact with the microphone through the casing.

14. -In a submarine signaling system," 'the combination with a shipsliull of a microphoni'c sound transmitting device comprismaterial, saidelectrodes being arranged substantially parallel .to the p lane ofmaximum ships Wave produced motion at the point of support.` i. 15. In asubmarine signaling system, the combination with a-ships hull of anelectromicrophonic transmission ldevice. comprisingsubstantiallyparallel'electrode Walls With ani-ntervenin'g' mass of michrophonicmaterial, said device being arranged -with said Wallssubstantiallytransverse tothe sliips skin to .cause rollin of the ship to produce Ibodily movement o the microphonic matetate the microphonematerial Whilepreserv- `ing substantially similar Contact relations between the :saidmaterial "and the electrodes.:

...-17.1 In a 'submarine signaling system the microphonic transmittingdevice, an i'nolo- -sure for'said device adapted to exclude soundWaves-'propagated through gaseous media, 'fts'oimd concuctin Wall of.solid material 'in contact with t e` microphone and arranged totransmit theretosounds 'received by Contact With the' ships hull or Witha `v body acoustically connected' thereto, said microphone havingelectrodes andl interven- ..ing'imicrophonic material and being so ariscaused to agitate the material'while 'prel'tions betweenthe saidmaterialandthe elec- `itrodes.

submarine signaling apparatus,

ing electrodes and intermediate microphonicj same.

oneV being sup orted transversely. the ship tocause the ateral rollingof theship -toagi-` .combination With a ships hull, vof an electrorangedthat the. lateral 'rollingof'the ship tion device, of-a contact member,and a .1,serving.substantially similar contact relathe combination witha submarine sound producer, of a ships hull and a detection andtransmission device having a-penetrative contact member for contact Withthe ships hulli or a part acoustically connected there-- Wit 19. A sounddetection apparatus fordetecting sounds in a solid bodycomprising amicrophonic detection-and transmission device, having a penetrativeContact wall acousticallyconnected With the microphoneg and adapted forapplication to the solid body.

20. In a submarine signaling apparatus, a receiving apparatus'`comprising a microphone, a. holder, a contact Wall acousticallyconnected With the microphone and adapted for 'Contact With the body towhich said holder is applied, and means for acoustically 4insulating theholder from the body While holding the 21. In a sounddetection devicethe combination With a microphone, of a contact member acousticallyconnected With the microphone and adapted to have vloc'alizedcontactwith a solid body, a part attached to the microphone adapted -to bepressed against the body, and means for acoustically 'insulating saidpart therefrom.

f- 22. Ina submarine si naling apparatus the combination with a sumarine sound producer,o f aships hull, and a receiving device providedwith amicrophone and a contact member, the latter having a solidmetallic contact Wall, in contact with the Y 4 acoustical connectionwith the microphone, said contact member being adapted for contact withthe ships'hull or a part acousticallyeonnected therewith.

' 23. In asubmarine signaling apparatus the .combination with asubmarine sound producer, of a ships hull, and a receiving eviceprovided With a microphone and a Contact member, the latter having a.solid acousticalconnection withv the microphone, `saidcontactmemberfbeing adapted for convtact with the ships hull or apartacousjtically vconnected therewith.

v24. Iii a sound detection device, a microphone having a projectingcontact member forc'ontactwith a `solid body, and an in- -closingvopen-ended casing provided' with .means for acoustically insulating thesame from the part to which the contact member is applied'.

25'.` In-a. sound detection device, a microphone vhaving a projectingcontact member for contact .with a solid body, and an openended casingabout the same.'

26. The combination .with a sound detec yieldable Wall for .applicationto a solid body, the latter permitting contact to be had between thecontact member and the body on application cgt pressure to thesyieldableWall.

6 l I 933,720 i 27. A sound detection apparat-'us for del and the solidintermediate acoustical connec-l tecting sounds in a solid body,comprising a tion l2. A microphonic detection and transmission de- Intestimony whereof, I have signed my vice having a contact member`aooustically name to this specification, in the presence of 5 connectedwith the microphoiei and shapeg. tWo subscribing Witnesses.

for oint Contact With a soi bodi." Wit Whic the detection of soind issouglit. o JOSIAH B' MILLET' 28. The combination with ai submarineWitnesses:

sound producer, of the ships huil V, the l EVERETT S. EMERY', 1 0microphone 8--11, the Contact member 175 I ROBERT H. KAMMLER.

